Fountain pen



Mmmm M 1941- J. A. fmwmmmmm FQUNTAIN :PEN

Filed Aug. l5, 3.91m

ooass INVENTUR.

my AMM! U wm" Patented Mar. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES j PATENT OFFICE FOUNTAIN PEN John A. Snodgrass, Prescott, Ark;

Application August 15, 1940, Serial No. 352,633

4 Claims.

This invention relates to fountain pens and in such connection it relates more particularly to the novel construction and arrangement of the parts thereof. Y

The present invention relates further to Letters Patent No. 2,149,557, granted to the applicant on March 7, 1939, and has for its general object the provision of an improved pen point which causes the ink to be conducted from the barrel of the pen in a novel and unique manner.

Another object of the present invention is to improve the writing point or end of the pen nibs which contact the writing material by the provision of a circular channel in the end of the pen nibs which channel communicates with the customary or regular slit or channel already in pen points.

A further object of the invention is to provide a modiiication of the circular channel referred to above, and to eliminate the wick for the ink feed, and yet retain the 'structure of the pen -body in all other essentialparts.

With the foregoing objects in view, the invention will be clearly understood from a perusal of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and in the drawing:

Figure 1 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a fountain pen embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a partal'longitudinal sectional view o/i Figure 1, the view being taken along the line '--2 of said figure;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of Figure i,

the view being had along the line 3--3 thereof;

1 35 Figure 4 is a cross-sectional View of Figure 1,

the view being had along the line 4-4 thereof;

Figure 5 is an exaggerated side elevational view of the pen point or writing element of the pen, per se;

Y40 Figure 6 is an exaggerated view of the writing end of the pen point, showingthe circular channel and the writing position of the pen point; Figure 'l being an end view of Figure 6; Figure 8 is an exaggerated, fragmentary top plan view of a modied form of thewriting element of the pen; Figure 9 being an end view of Figure 8: and

Figure 10 is an end view of another modified form of the writing element. Referring in detail to the drawing, wherein like parts will be designated by like numerals and letters, I indicatesthe barrel of the pen body, which may be made of any suitable material.

Fastened in the opposite end of the barrel is a plug 3 and over this plug is secured a nipple l.

While the plug 3 and the nipple 4 are connected by threads as shown, these parts may be engaged by slipping one over the other without the use of threads, and similarly the inner end of the plug 3 may be slipped inside the barrel l. The plug 5 3 includes a tongue-like extension member 5 which has a channel 8 for conducting the ink from the barrel l to the pen nibs or Writing element.

The nipple chas permanently secured on its 10 lower end a piece of metal l for the purpose of strengthening the pen (and also to give the pen a modern stream-like appearance), similar to the metal part on the lower end of a mechanical pencil. This piece of metal is just large enough l5 to permit the pen point to pass through without binding or wedging when removing or replacing the nipple 4 on the plug 3. The arrangement of these parts, however, prevents any play between the pen point or pen nibs 8 and the metal point 20 or element 1. This form of construction prevents a light weight gold point pen from spreading or bending out of shape when the pen is used, therefore this 'point will be as strong or stronger than the heavy weight gold pen points used in 25 other types of fountain pens, and is strong enough to maike carbon copies, which feature is very desirable. 1

It will be noted that and as in the patent referred to above the tongue-like extension mem- 30 f ber 5 is arranged eccentrically or off-center, so that the pen point or the writing element is on a line centrally of the fountain4 pen structure.

The particular object of the present invention is to provide an improved writing element or pen 35 point, such as are shown in Figures 2, 5, 6, and 7 to 10 inclusive, In this construction of improved writing element the body 9 of -the element fits over and is supported on the tapered, plug extension member 5 and the nibs 8 of the writing element 40 are cylindrical from the point B to the rounded Writing point l4,-but square in cross-section at B-a where the nibs pass through the opening Il in the metal end piece 1. This square portion prevents ink in the channel Il from touching the 45 piece 'l and, thus prevents capillary attraction between the ink channel and the piece 1. The cylindrical portions of the pen nibs are indicated at I 2.

Figures 6v and '7 show the rounded writing point 50 of the writing element or pen point, the same being indicated at i4, and that there is formed in the rounded part a circular channel l5, which channel is in fact a continuation of the channel Il. In this arrangement it will be seen that 5l the ink does not iiow to the extreme end or the rounded end of the pen point, but flows around the circular channel. This brings the ink onto the writing material or paper P and allows the ink to flow evenly all around the pen point. Figure 6 also shows the angle or writing position of the pen. It will be noted that the rounded end of the pen point does not/'extend beyond the axial line or outer circumference of the pen nibs as in the former ball point formation in the patent referred to.

In Figures 8, 9 and 10 are shown modifications of the writing end of the pen point. Thus in Figures 8 and 9, instead of the circular channel I5, the rounded end H is provided with a straight slit or channel I5-a across the rounded portion. In Figure 10 and in addition to one channel or slit there are provided two slits IS-b at right angles to each other and these modified forms of the slit or channel communicate with the customary ink channel Il in the pen.

Openings Ain the nipple 4 and in a closure nipple or cap i6 provide means for air entrance into the pen.

The pen may be filled by a filling device if such is used by unscrewing the nipple 4 from the plug 3, placing the pen point in the lnk supply and using the filling device similarly to the manner employed in other fountain pens. If no filling device is used, the nipple 4 is unscrewed from the plug 3, the plug is removed from the barrel and the ink well or barrel is filled with 'an ordinary medicine dropper. The outer cap or'nipple I6 is of course removed during the process of filling.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the invention provides an improved fountain pen, especially the writing element thereof and which may be utilized as set out above. The invention, however, may be modified to some extent in keeplng with the spirit thereof and which would be within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A fountain pen comprising an ink barrel, a. plug member secured to the lower end of the accesi@ barrel, said plug member having a tongue-like extension member disposed o-center or eccentrically of the plug member, and a recess in the plug member for seating a pen nib, said fountain pen including a tapered nipple secured over the said plug member, said tapered nipple having a piece of metal forming its lower end and provided with an aperture through which only the writing point of the pen extends, a tapered closure nipple engaged on the lower end of the barrel, apertures in the tapered closure nipple and said plug nipple for air entrance; said pen nib having a rounded writing point with a circular channel on the writing point, said channel communicating with the regular slit or channel in the pen point or writing element of the pen.

2. A fountain pen as claimed in claim l, said writing element or pen point of the pen having cylindrical nibs with a rounded end termination which contacts with thewriting material, said terminal or writing point of the pen having a circular slit or channel disposed inwardly a slight distance from the writing point of the pen and communicating with the regular or customary slit or channel in the pen point or writing element.

3. A fountain pen as claimed in claim 1, said writing element or pen point of the pen having cylindrical nibs and a rounded end termination which contacts with the paper, the nibs includlng a square ,portion in cross-section intermediate the cylindrical portions of the pen nibs at the place where the nibs pass through the opening in said nipple on the plug to prevent capillary attraction of the ink between the nibs and the nipple opening.

4. A- fountain pen as claimed in claim 1, said Writing element or pen point of the pen having cylindrical nibs with a squared central portion and a rounded writing terminal paper contact point, said rounded point including a channel or channels across the rounded point.

JOHN A. SNODGRASS. 

